It turns out that Deron Williams' diary on ESPN NewYork --the one that ended with a shoutout to Nets fans-- is just the beginning.  ESPN NewYork and Williams announced Thursday they're combining on a blog about Williams' experience overseas, entitled, "Live from Turkey". It will also appear on D-Will's official website.

"This is an incredible adventure, and I am excited to share this once in a lifetime experience with fans all over the world," said Williams. "I am over here in an amazing country with my wife and four kids…and I get to stay in shape and play basketball. I will be ready to go in the NBA if and when this lockout ends, but in the meantime, my family and I are taking advantage of this unique opportunity."

• Taking in the Culture and Lessons Learned - DeronWilliams.com
• Nets' Williams talking Turkey - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  

Deron Williams is writing a diary for ESPN New York, detailing his --and his family's-- experiences as they live, work and play in Istanbul. 

Every week "until D-Will returns to the Garden State", he will chronicle what's happening in Turkey, whether it's a lost passport delaying the start of the trip, his difficult transition to European ball or his general comfort level.

Admitting, "I'm not going to lie, the transition for our family has been tough", Williams describes just how tough it's been, particularly on his kids but adds as well, "This journey has been as much about doing something as a family as it has been about me playing basketball."

And as for basketball, he notes, "It's a different game over here. There is less spacing, the officiating isn't the same. Pretty much every aspect of the game is different than in the NBA. I'm just learning and adjusting as we go." 

Finally, he has a message for those who follow him back in Jersey. "For my Nets fans, I want you to know that while I'm comfortable over here, I'm not too comfortable. I'm still always ready to come back to the U.S. and have a good NBA season, and hopefully make some noise in the Eastern Conference".

• D-Will's Turkey Diary, Part 1: The transition - Deron Williams (edited by Jared Zwerling) - ESPN New York
• Jersey guards continue down different paths - Gregory Hrinya - Examiner
• Deron Williams admits Besiktas is not selling out - Matt Golliver - CBS Sports
  
• Just when the players need them most, overseas offers are more difficult than ever - Matt Moore - NBC Sports
  

Every year, NBADraft.net produces a "State of the Cap" report on each of the NBA's 30 teams and Friday, it was the Nets' turn. It's generally accurate, other than an occasional error (Travis Outlaw has four years left on his contract, not three).

One big complaint with NBADraft.net's analysis is its failure to fully appreciate the team's advantages, starting with the value of the Barclays Center to the franchise. A move to the "World's Most Expensive Arena" (in the heart of America's biggest market) should help the Nets finally dump their reputation as second rate.  Moreover, the writer suggests that there is less than a 5% chance Deron Williams will fail to exercise his player option in 2012-13 (consider that he can make an easy $18 million that year in a post-CBA world.)

But the biggest omission is that the writer doesn't note that of all the teams with low payrolls (Nets, Nuggets, Kings and Pacers), only one has a superstar as well and if you tend to believe him, they will for a while.

• State of the Cap: New Jersey Nets - Seth Sommerfeld - NBADraft.net
  

Deron Williams has tweeted that it's "official", even posting his signature on a contract with Besiktas of Istanbul.  Not so fast, reports Sean Deveney of Sporting News. 

Until FIBA, basketball's governing body, declares the contract legal, Deveney writes, it's not binding and he's not bound for Besiktas.

"Everybody is waiting to see what happens with Williams," one agent tells Deveney. "If FIBA says it’s not a legal contract, everybody’s going to have to go back to the drawing board."  The key issue is the "out" clause, which permits Williams to return to the NBA immediately after the lockout is over. FIBA could determine that such a clause is illegal, on the grounds that it detracts from the stability of the Turkish league, he writes.

There's no timetable as to when FIBA will issue a ruling, although a federation delegation visited the NBA offices this week.  The league has been silent on the issue.

• NBA players waiting for FIBA ruling on Deron Williams' contract before signing overseas deals - Sean Deveney - Sporting News
• Deron’s Turkey move pends FIBA approval - Hurriyet Daily News
  
• The National Basketball Association's European Vacation - Jonathan Abrams - Grantland
• Not enough euros in world to make stars go globe-trotting - Gregg Doyell - CBS Sports
• Turkish Club Makes Offer to Kobe Bryant - Lynn Zinser - New York Times
  

Shannon Owens is a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, whose brother Chris plays overseas.  After chatting with his brother, he points out an occupational hazard Deron Williams will have to deal with in the Turkish Basketball League: unruly and aggressive fans...very aggressive fans.

Owens writes Tuesday:

Turkish basketball fans are a passionate bunch and it's pretty common for aggravated fans — particularly during rival games — to take a lighter and heat a coin before throwing it at players on the court. In case you were wondering, it does burn a little, according to Chris.But he'd take hot coins over rocks. While playing on the road in Greece, a fan threw a sharp rock at him which cut his back..

D-Will should also recall what it was like crammed in a commercial jet rather than flying charter. And, Shannon Owens writes, "Someone needs to remind Williams there isn't a Ruth's Chris in Istanbul". Chris Owens thinks it's a good idea. "I think it's a win, win, to me," he told his brother. "I think they need to see it and experience it."

• It wouldn't be easy for NBA players overseas - Shannon Owens - Orlando Sentinel
• NBA players going overseas during lockout? If... - Dave McMenamin - ESPN Los Angeles
  

In a video that's now gone down the NBA memory hole, Billy King credited Danko Cvjeticanin with a big part of the Nets Draft Night success.  Who? The Nets' international scout, that's who. He highly recommended Bojan Bogdanovic, a fellow Croatian, who Chad Ford has said may be the "steal of the draft", even if the Nets have to wait. "He really was high on him," said King.

King noted that Cvjeticanin has been with him every year he's worked in the NBA but one and he trusts his judgment. But Cvjeticanin has a far deeper Nets connection. He played with what Croatians call their "Generation 92", the Croatian national team that won the silver in the 1992 Olympics, along with Dino Radja, Toni Kukoc and of course, Drazen Petrovic.

Cvjeticanin told one Croatian hoops site days after the Draft that Bogdanovic was the Nets' top choice (and would have been their pick at #27 if MarShon Brooks hadn't fallen).  He also spoke with a Florida newspaper this week about "Generation 92" and Petrovic, "the model of my perfect basketball player." Cvjeticanin's son, Filip, has just enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University.

• Following his father's path - Seth Soffian - Florida Today

Now, what do we do? Not much and not for a long, long time.  Oh, we'll be able to update arena construction progress; developments with the Springfield Armor who WILL play starting in November; wedding announcements from Kris and Kim and/or Sasha and Masha. Of course, there will be election news from Russia and FIBA Eurobasket results featuring Bojan Bogdanovic of Croatia. Ben Uzoh may play for Nigeria in FIBA AfroBasket, too.

Pickings will be slim otherwise. Players can work out together or alone but can't have contact with coaches or basketball operations personnel, whether they be trainers, rehab specialists or stats analysts. No summer league, no signings of undrafted players.  With this report, we hope to put a smile on your face while we all figure out what to do with our spare time, our lives. (Yeah, we said we probably wouldn't continue with these reports. We'll play it by ear. When John Tesh's music stops playing over and over in our head, we'll stop, ready to start again.)

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Two very different analysts are giving the Nets high Draft grades,  David Aldridge, NBA.com's veteran analyst puts the Nets in his "head of the class" category, the only one of nine teams in that group without a pick in the top 25. Dave Berri, stats geek at Wages of Wins Journal, gives the Nets an "A", best in the Atlantic.

Both liked how the team was able to parlay relatively low picks into a good haul. "From the back end of the first round, the Nets did quite well," writes Aldridge, who likes all three and calls Bojan Bogdanovic "a real comer" who could have value either as player or trade asset.

Berri uses college and international stats in assessing how prospects will perform in the NBA. Focusing on MarShon Brooks and Jordan Williams (who he rates higher), he writes, "Both players are excellent prospects, and both play positions that the Nets need to improve. Now all that New Jersey needs to do is to make sure that they resign Kris Humphries-Kardashian, and they should be in the running for most improved team."

• Assessing the 2011 Draft class one final time - David Aldridge - NBA.com
• Quick Takes: Atlantic Division Draft Grades - Dave Berri - Wages of Wins Journal